Dental students are extensively trained to provide dental treatment to their patients during their undergraduate programme, however, no or little time is spent on training basic communication skills.Dental student-patient communication is included in the clinical assessment at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), however, without formal communication training in the clinical years. Embedding a communication course in the curriculum would require support of the teaching staff and clinical teachers therefore the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of the lecturers regarding dental student communication and its training.

Fifty-eight per cent of the respondents were female and 79% were full-time employees at UWC.  Forty-two per cent were between the ages 31 to 40 years, 26% between 51 to 60 years with only 11% younger than 30 years. Sixty-three per cent rated the dental student-patient communication good. All the respondents thought communication skills should be included in the dental curriculum. To teach communication skills in second and third year was the suggestion of 64% and 26% suggested that it be taught throughout the five-year curriculum.

Of the total, 47% strongly agreed that students just want to get on with the work – not attending to communication – and that they tend to merely see patients as required quotas to pass a clinically, while not displaying empathy.  Of the clinical supervisors, 47% strongly agreed that they need training on how to communicate and to assess communication skills. Sixty-eight per cent strongly agreed that developing and teaching a communication module should be shared amongst the Faculty and not become the responsibility of one department only.

Fifty-eight per cent of the respondents were female and 79% were full-time employees at UWC.  Forty-two per cent were between the ages 31 to 40 years, 26% between 51 to 60 years with only 11% younger than 30 years. Sixty-three per cent   rated the dental student-patient communication good. All the respondents thought communication skills should be included in the dental curriculum. To teach communication skills in second and third year was the suggestion of 64% and 26% suggested that it be taught throughout the five-year curriculum.

Of the total, 47% strongly agreed that students just want to get on with the work – not attending to communication – and that they tend to merely see patients as required quotas to pass a clinically, while not displaying empathy.  Of the clinical supervisors, 47% strongly agreed that they need training on how to communicate and to assess communication skills. Sixty-eight per cent strongly agreed that developing and teaching a communication module should be shared amongst the Faculty and not become the responsibility of one department only.

Clinical supervisors agreed that communication-skill training and clinical assessment in the dental curriculum is important. They suggest that this module should be embedded throughout the five-year curriculum. Clear criteria or outcomes should be developed for teaching and for clinical assessment of communication.

The study raised awareness among the faculty members about the importance of communication skills and ensured initial buy-in for the development of such a course.

• Cannick F, Horowitz A, Garr D, Reed S, Neville B, Day T, Woolson R and Lackland D. 2007. Use of the OSCE to evaluate brief communication skill training for dental students. Journal of Dental Education, 71(9): 1203-1209.
•  Carey J, Madill A and Monogue, M.2010. Communication skills in dental education; asystematic review. European Journal of Dental Education; 14:69-78.
• Hannah A, Millicahamp J and Ayers K. 2004. A communication course for undergraduate dental students. Journal of Dental Education; 68(9):970-977.

Thank you to all the participants  and Mrs Yolanda Erasmus for the field notes.